Exceeds Expectation
by crazy-chocoholik
Summary: When Ginny finds herself in unexpected trouble, who will come to her rescue? And will this mystery person be more than she ever expected him to be? ONESHOT  Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings.


Ginny: 4th year

Blaise: 5th Year

Blaise POV

Twilight had arrived at Hogwarts castle and many students were heading to the Great hall for dinner. It was the end of a long week and everyone felt they needed a relaxing break; Professor Umbridge had been stricter than ever. Giving people detention for the smallest of crimes and making them write those horrid lines with their own blood. Hannah Abbott had passed out in the middle of hers... all the students were outraged, usually they would see something like this a joke, but the fact that they didn't; only showed how serious they really were about Umbridge. With Dumbledore gone, no one could do anything. Depressed and dull, the whole school seemed dark and foreboding, the students trudging everywhere with slumped shoulders.

This particular night, as most of the students of Hogwarts sat dejectedly in the Great Hall, silently eating. Blaise Zabini rushed out of the Slytherin common room. He had fallen asleep after class and woken to find he had almost missed dinner. It wasn't that he was very hungry, but Umbridge became suspicious of anyone who didn't turn up for dinner... especially the Slytherins. She didn't trust them, maybe that's why she kept them so close and the Inquisitorial Squad consisted of mainly the serpents.

As Blaise ran past the tapestry in the third floor corridor, he thought he heard something and slowed down. A sound of a disembodied shout floated to him and he came to a halt. Something was definitely up. He heard a male voice shout 'expelliarmus', followed by a quick silencio. Blaise looked around, confused. The corridor was deserted, save him. Suddenly he realised what was happening, the duel was happening behind the tapestry... it sounded pretty one sided though. Blaise hurriedly pushed past the tapestry and entered the hidden corridor. The scene in front of him was the last thing he expected. Michael Corner stood in front of Ginevra Weasley, two wands in hand. Ginny was standing against the wall, a scowl fixed on her face and her mouth forming obscenities, but no sound was coming from her. She was trying to rush at Corner, but he appeared to have cast a shield charm.

Ginny POV

Ginevra Weasley was angry, angry and mad. Michael and she had snuck in to the hidden corridor for a quick 'talk' before dinner. They had started kissing, but when Ginny had tried to stop, Michael had gotten pushy. The rest could be imagined and they had ended up like they were now. Ginny was screaming at him so Michael had cast Silencio on her, enraging her further. She saw the anger reciprocated in his eyes as well... he started lifting his arm, pointing both wands at her and for the first time, Ginny felt fear grip her. She stared back at him, the defiance in her eyes faltering slightly.

Just as she was sure, something horrible was going to happen to her, a spark of purple light shot out of nowhere and knocked Michael onto his side. His head struck the stone wall with a sickening crack. Ginny instantly felt the spells cast on her wear off. She turned around; ready to thank Harry... or perhaps Ron had saved her. And then she stopped, she was standing, staring at Blaise Zabini.

The moment their eyes met, both looked away in embarrassment. Now that the immediate danger, Michael, was out of the way, the situation became very awkward.

"Um, Thanks. Zabini." Ginny said, still not meeting Blaise's eyes.

"No problem… couldn't really leave a damsel in distress could I?" Blaise replied, with a cheeky grin, having recovered from the initial shock already. With that simple joke, the tension precipitated and both the students grinned at each other.

"That was embarrassing… guess THAT relationship is over." Ginny said as they both exited the corridor, Blaise holding the tapestry aside for Ginny. "You should hurry to dinner; Umbridge will have your skin!"

"Aren't you coming as well?" Blaise inquired.

"No… I think I'll just head back to my dorm. I think I need a lie down after what just happened." Ginny chuckled, only half joking.

"Well in that case, I'll walk you up." Blaise stated, a worried look crossing his aristocratic featured. Ginny would usually argue, but for some reason she knew that Blaise wouldn't back down.

Slowly they started to walk towards the staircase, silence settling again as they realised what exactly was happening. A Slytherin was walking a Gryffindor to her common room, not only that, he had saved her from a sticky situation… when he should have been laughing at her, he had rescued her. Blaise was too chivalrous for his own good.

"How weird is this?" Ginny began, trying to get past her awkwardness. Blaise had saved her after all.

"It is, isn't it? Who would have thought… but I had to save you, I may be a Slytherin, but that does not mean that I'm a raging Death Eater. Despite popular notions. I couldn't just leave you there, especially when that rat had an unfair advantage! I hate people who don't fight fair!" Ginny paused, letting Blaise walk ahead. To be honest she was one of the people who saw all Slytherins as Death Eaters in training. She had been proven wrong today, and she was actually glad about it. It was always nice to see that good existed, even in the damp common room of the Slytherin house. Blaise stopped as well, when he noticed that Ginny wasn't beside him anymore. He looked back,

"Coming?"

Ginny nodded and jogged up to him. They continued in silence and Ginny looked at Blaise from the corner of her eye. He really was handsome, with the sharp cheekbones and the dark eyes. She also couldn't help noticing his voice, it stirred something in her stomach. His voice could go from calm to angry to caring in the space of a sentence. So much emotion in those cultured tones. His voice had a gravelly undertone to it, covered with the smoothness of silk. Ginny wasn't sure how exactly those contradictions worked together, but work they did. She wanted to say something, anything… just to hear him talk again.

"Almost there…" She blurted, the first the thing that came to her mind.

"Ginevra.. we ARE there.." Blaise said, an amused look on his face. Ginny tore her eyes from his profile and realised that they were standing right in front of the Fat Lady. She turned round to face him and smiled.

"Thanks." She said, surprisingly, she really meant it.

"No problem mademoiselle." Blaise said, grinning, as he extravagantly doffed an imaginary hat. That one French word curled from his mouth and Ginny went slightly weak at the knees. As Blaise smiled his farewell and turned to leave, Ginny started feeling panicked. It was the feeling you get when you think you're going to miss a train. She had to do something to make him stay, to make him remember her… if she didn't, who knew when she'd see him again…

"Blaise!"

Blaise stopped and turned, one perfect eyebrow arched in question. Ginny noticed how the moonlight hit him, casting half his profile in alluring shadow. She stepped closer to him.

"Blaise." She said again, slowly and deliberately forming the word.

"Ginevra?" Blaise said. Ginny loved how she said her name, emphasising the 'V'…rolling the 'R'…

By now, she was standing inches from him, her eyes slitted… his eyes wide.

"Blaise…" she repeated.

"Ginevr-" but he didn't have time to finish because at that point Ginny had pressed her lips to his. Her hands resting on his strong chest. Ginny would feel the muscles on him, and she smiled. After a second's hesitation, Blaise put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. After a few minutes they were still wrapped in each other's arms.

Blaise's hands in Ginny' hair and on her back, holding her to him.

Ginny's hands on his neck and chest, pulling herself up to him.

After a loud cough from the Fat Lady, they pulled apart, flushed. They looked at each other, Blaise grinning and Ginny smiling.

"I think we need to talk about his over dinner…" Blaise said with a cheeky grin.

"I think that might be necessary, yes." She replied, a smile in her voice. Blaise stole one last kiss and left for dinner, as Ginny stood there staring after him.

Everyone already said she was a bit… promiscuous. Might as well prove them right, Ginny thought and let out a laugh. Grinning, she turned and literally bounced up to the portrait.

"Flibbertigibit!" She told the Fat Lady, who glared at the red head reproachfully and swung open. Ignoring the 'tuts' from the painting, she flounced inside. Ron and Harry where sitting there.

"Why so happy?" Ronald asked, looking at her suspiciously.

"Isn't it a wonderful night!" Ginny exclaimed, planting a kiss on her brother's cheek.

"Ew! Gin!" Ron exclaimed as he exchange a look with Harry… Something was up.


End file.
